Study on Internal Flow Characteristics of Hydrocyclone with Guide Vanes

Abstract

Hydrocyclone with guide vanes is one type of swirl flow launching device without energy input. For researching the flow characteristics of that hydrocyclone, the flow distribution of the sections and their variation along the flow were studied using numerical simulation and physical experiment. In addition, the flow field was convenient to be divided into three-dimensional velocities: axial velocity, circumferential velocity, radial velocity and the static pressure. The result showed that the water flow had obvious diversion by the effect of guide vanes. The axial velocity varied into the distribution of higher values emerging away from the pipe wall and the surfaces of guide vanes, and the value was higher on downstream surfaces than upstream surfaces of the guide vanes. The radial velocity’s direction pointed at the axis of pipe on upstream surfaces, and pointed at the pipe wall on the downstream surfaces of the guide vanes; the influenced range was larger in sections along the flow. The circumferential velocity increased along the flow, closing the distorted guide vanes; the value of that velocity was larger closer to the guide vanes, especially the downstream surfaces of the guide vanes. The static pressure decreased along the flow, and the value was larger on the upstream surfaces than the downstream surfaces of the guide vanes. The results can provide some theory references to improve the construction of the hydrocyclone.